The availability of intense sources of synchrotron X-rays has made possible advanced studies of biological materials using the method of X- ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The advances, both in intensity as well as optics of these sources, has made it possible to exploit ultra- dilute spectroscopy and fluorescence QuEXAFS techniques. However, it has been pointed out that "The single most important issue limiting progress in biological xAS is the need for the development of new X-ray detectors" [BioSync]. Most biological experiments are limited not by the available X-ray flux, but by the characteristics of the available X-ray detectors. Central to the design of modern XAS instrumentation is a very low noise X-ray detector, which must detect the fluorescence X-rays from the samples. It is important for the detector to operate with very high energy resolution and maintain that resolution at very high count-rates. This requires the detector to have very low noise and low capacitance. We propose to investigate a novel detector design which uses high purity silicon as the detector material and has a novel electrode structure which provides very low capacitance even with large area devices. Thus, this device design should be capable of providing excellent energy resolution even at high count-rates which is an essential requirement for EXAFS. The Phase I project will be aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed concept. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Synchrotron studies, environmental exploration, non-destructive testing, astronomy, medical instrumentation and probes, physics research